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American conglomerate Honeywell has secured a contract to deliver the AUKUS Submarine Industrial Base (SIB) pilot program.
Under the program, Honeywell will establish an enhanced security framework that will underpin a safer, more secure, reliable and effective technology transfer to activate Australian Industry to support the conventionally armed, nuclear-powered Virginia–Class Submarine production, sustainment, and operational readiness.
Following the contract award, Honeywell will support the AUKUS SIB pilot program team by establishing a secure network of suppliers and partners to support production and operation submarine fleet.
The contract was awarded by BlueForge Alliance on behalf of the AUKUS Acquisition and Integration Office of the US Navy.
“AUKUS is an industry-building endeavor and the top Australian defense program of our time, and we are proud to be part of the team that is mobilizing these projects to bolster Australia’s defense capability,” said Lee Davis, Head of Defense and Space Australia, Honeywell Aerospace Technologies.
“With a heritage of supporting nuclear stewardship in the US industrial base for the conventionally armed, nuclear powered Virginia-Class submarine program, combined with submarine component production in all three AUKUS regions, Honeywell is uniquely positioned to lead the formation of AUKUS Team SIB.”
The AUKUS enhanced trilateral security partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States was announced in 2021 and is designed to support security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
“As a proudly Australian, global company, we are honored to be part of AUKUS Team SIB and have the opportunity to integrate our experience in creating state-of-the-art networks with the goal to securely enhance its long-term growth,” said Andrew Wilson, chief executive of Senetas.
The partnership strengthens the combined industrial capacity of the three countries, with increased cooperation making trilateral supply chains more robust and resilient.
One of the priorities for the AUKUS partnership is to develop the nuclear stewardship required to grow Australia’s ability to secure the supply chain for the Virginia–Class Submarine programs.
This will involve a network of suppliers and partners powered by a local workforce of more than 30,000 people in Australia and 100,000 in the United States.
“We are eager to empower small to midsize companies by increasing efficiencies that help expand the trilateral submarine industrial base and meet this unprecedented demand,” said Marian Sabety, Chairman of the Board, Argus Enterprises.
Honeywell is working on the program with U.S.-based partners that include Orbis Sibro Inc., Argus Enterprises and Massa Products Corporation as well as Australian partner Senetas.
“We’re looking forward to bringing our technical expertise and extensive experience with submarine design, acquisition, sustainment and logistics support to AUKUS Team SIB and assisting to mobilize this groundbreaking partnership,” said Charlie Grabenstein, President, Orbis Sibro Inc.
Additional Australian companies are also expected to be selected during the pilot program. Together, this team will deliver the AUKUS SIB pilot program over the next two years.
“With our extensive heritage supporting the U.S. Navy for over 75 years, we are proud of the role we’ll play in supporting the development of Australian capabilities as part of AUKUS Team SIB,” said Dawn Stancavish, CEO, Massa Products Corporation.
